How often do I need to practice yoga?

‘How often do I need to practice yoga?‘ is a common question we get from our students. It is well understood in the yoga community and even in the ancient yoga texts, that there are two types of yoga practitioners. There are no rights and wrongs when it comes to the frequency of practicing yoga. How often you can practice yoga depends on your job, family responsibilities, and other commitments and there will be relatively few who are willing and able to dedicate time daily.

For the averagely busy person, practising yoga once a week is probably the minimum you need to see discernible change. You will likely find that you sleep a little better the night after a class, you will notice postures become more accessible over the months, and you will learn more about yourself – both body and mind.

For these people the main yoga text talks about kriya yoga or action yoga. This means having a commitment to your practice (like a weekly yoga class), developing your self-awareness (in yoga class and outside, for example as you stand at the checkout queue or sit at your desk) and accepting your limits, realising that some things are just not in your power at this moment.

As you get more involved in your yoga practice and are able to make the time, three times a week will mean you see more rapid progress on a weekly basis. This could include a regular home practice using online classes or an app on your phone. As people realise how much they’re getting from a more frequent yoga practice, many want to go to workshops or retreats to increase their knowledge. Often people start a yoga-teaching course just to find out more.

For people willing and able to dedicate the time daily, the yoga text sets out the ‘8 limbs’ of yoga practice which gives you guidelines on how to live your life in relation to yourself and others.The 8 limbs also include delving deeper into your asana, pranayama and particularly your meditation practice.

So if you’re wondering how often to practice yoga, think about what level of commitment you can realistically make and stick to it. A weekly class is a good start then gradually build from there if you can. Good luck!